Car-door operation



L.` P. HYNES CAR upon OPERATION vwentoz I 5.5 @Hy/vis,

Filed March 11, 1922 351g fuk/@Homey aia.-

Marly 27, 1930. L. P. HYNEs CAR DOOR OPERATION Filed March 11, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 27, v1930. Lf P. HYNEs 1,760,062

CAR DOOR OPERATION A Filed March 11, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 60 32 31 )Uff/4Z y Jqz u l Y K fil m 142 106 J0] nvtQ,

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nwmmwg Patented May 27, 1930 UN'rED STATES PATENT OFFICE LEE P. I-IYNES, OIF ALBANY, NEW YORK7 ASSIGNOR, BY LIESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO CN-` SOLIDATED CAR-HEATING COMPANY, INC., OF ALBANY, NEV YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK GAR-DOOR OPERATION Application 1edMarch 11, 1922. Serial No. 543,079.

occupy the same angular position, the two shafts rotating in unison. vAs is fully shown in Fig. 3, the arms El, E2 are embraced between two spring-pressed plates 4O1 and `O2. The springs R1, R2 bear on `these respective plates, while a bolt P passes through the back-plates Q1 and Q2 of the respective springs and through the plates O1, O2, also passing throughan opening p, formed partly For a detailed description of the present form of my invention, reference may be had to the following specification and to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein Fig. l is a plan of my apparatus;

Fig. 2 shows the door and operating shaft with the limit switches;

Fig. 3 shows the emergency stop on a larger scale; in arm E1 and partly in arm E2. Thus the Fig. 32 shows a vertical cross section of two arms are held inv alignment bythe pres- Fg 3; 1 sure of the springs R1, R2 andrwill remain in Fig. 4 shows a modified form of emergency alignment during the ordinary opening and stop; closing of the door. If, however, the door l5 Figs. 5 and 5a showplan and side views, sticks or encounters an obstruction, particularly when .a passenger is caught in the door, the springs will'yield andthe arms will separate, assuming different angular positions. This may occur in either direction of movementof the shafts B, B1. The arm E1 carries an insulatedspring 3 on which is mounted a contact point 5, while arm E2 has a similar spring 4 with a contact point 6. Normally the points 5 and 6 are in contact, but in the event of the separation of the two arms as above described, the points 5 and 6 will also separate and break the circuit passing through them.v This circuit is the main motor circuit, the flexible conductors 7 and 8 of said circuitleading to the respectivecontacts 5 and 6. Since the range ofoscillation of the arms is but 180 degrees, these flexible conductors 7 and 8 will maintain 'the electrical connection of the contact points with the motor circuit, but rings and contacts sliding thererespectively, illustrating the application of my apparatus to folding doors; Fig. 6 shows a detail of the emergency switch, and Figs. 7 and` 8 are diagrams of the circuits. Heretofore car doors have usually been operated by pneumatic engines, for which electromagnetic controllers have'been employed. It is my present purpose to operate car doors directly by electric motors, my devices for that purpose being herein described and claimed.

Referringv to the drawing, A represents a car door which, in this case, is a sliding door of any usual design. On the rear edge of the door is a vertical guide ain which travels a roller c on the outer end of a radial operating arm C on a shaft B. As the shaft B is rotatedthrough anarc of 180 degrees, it will cause the door to slide back and forth from its open to its closed position, or vice versa, the roller c moving up or down in guide a. according to the angular position of the operating arm. Adjacent to the door isa'baseplate K on which the said shaft B is mounted in a journal box b. In line with shaft B but separated therefrom is a second shaft B1 also mounted on base-plate K. On the same base-plate is also an electricl motor D, preferably a series motor, which has on its f shaft a pinion engaging gear wheel G, while a pinion on the shaft of the gear wheel G drives a sond gear wheel H on the aforesaid shaft B1. On the adjacent ends of the aligned 'shafts B and B1 are fixed respectively i2 the radial. arms E1 and E2 which normally well understands. This emergency circuitbreaker is marked XA and may be termed a torsion switch, or stress switch since it responds to the force which the motor continues to exert when the door is blocked. I thus provide that the motor circuit will be broken in the event` of such an obstruction of the motor as I have heretofore mentioned, while if necessary the open-circuitedmotor can be turned backward by pushing back on the door in order to release a passenger or other object which might be accidentally pinched between the door and its jamb. Moreover, since there is now no current on the motor, it

on may be used in place of them,as the art Y rate,l the block Eland blade E4 s.- riiiis win Vwill be turned backward by the reaction of the springs R1, R2 until the contacts 5 and 6 come together again and once more close the motor circuit. Then the motor will again start to close the door and Will succeed, provided the obstruction has been removed; if not, the circuit will be again broken, as above described, and the operation will be repeated until the obstruction is eliminated and the motor' ultimately succeeds in closing the door. This highly desirable action I secure without resort to a shoe on the front edge of the door such as is now required to get a similar protection for the passengers. Such a doorshoe is a cause of expense and trouble, so that its elimination is a marked advance in 4the art. It should ,also be observedthat I have interposed between the r:door and the electric motor not only the usual toothed gearing-but alsofthe radial arm which tends to give' t4 e door a rising and falling rate of speed following a sine curye for a constant speed of r'otationof the shafts B, B1. By this means I am enabjed to use a much smaller motor than would otherwise be required, since at the starting of the doorI when the load is :the heaviest,- the motor has an increased leverage on the door and in this manner can gain mechanically by increased speed an u small current what would otherwiserequire alarge current and slow motor speed--V e. a larger motor. Moreover, in stopping the door thezmotor again has a corresponding increase of leverage, withhigh speed and a small current which can bereadily broken by the limit switch. Thus by combining a 'rotating arm drive with reducing ear between the armsha'ft and lthe motor, T secure an advantageboth at ythe starting and at the stopping of the door and with the use of ka smaller motor than would' otherwise be needed. Y l

In Fig. 4 is shown at X2 a modified form of theemergency switch X. In this form the arm ElA is extended by, an insulating disc E3 secured to its outer end on which is pivoted a switch blade E4 that normally connects the terminals of the aforesaid wires 7 and 8. On the center of blade E4 and insulated therefrom is a block E? which has a flat under side M against which bears a' bow-.spring T secured on the end of arm This is the normal condition, the blade E4 being thereby ield in its connectingposition shown in the figure. Twoleg's 9 and ,10 project from block E2 Athiiugh `loosely, fitting holes in t e bowspring T. y'Wl'ien the armsEY and E2 sepaare rotated until the corner of the side oruface 14 comes uncer the center-of the blocks pivot; then therr block ,willsnap `ahead of the spring T and one of its incl-ined faces 12 will come to rest von the spring T, thereby giving va quick break of the Inni-n .'circuitthrough wires 7 andoccur' in Whichever direction the separation of the arms takes place, while the engagement of lugs 9 and 10 with spring T will cause the block to snap back into its normal position when the alignment of the arms is restored.

For the operation of folding doors the arrangement of Fig. may be used. The door is'composed of four folding panels A1, A2, A3, A4. In the framework of the lcar above the door is mounted a short vertical shaft S with two radial arms C2 and C2 4extending therefrom in opposite directions; Arm C2 is connected by link C2, to the outer end of lever C4 on panel A4, while arm C1 is similarly connected by link C5 to lever C6 on panel A1. Loosely mounted on shaft S is a horizontal bevel-gear wheel U which is driven by the motor through a bevel pinion and reduction gearing. Above bevel-wheel U and secured to shaftv S is a star-wheel Y, the opposite points of which are linked to bevel-wheel U by springs R1, R2. Hence the motor-driven wheel U drives the shaft S through the springs R1, R2. Normally these springs will not yield, but will do so in the event of an obs-truction of the doors as heretofore explained, and will thereby operate the emergency switch X2, mounted on wheel U. The switch X3 is shown on a larger scale in Fig. 6, it comprises two switch` blades Wl and W2, which are normally held by a spring W5 against their two pivotal pins 21 and` 22 and inn this position they connect the termi-` nals of thewiresf7' 'and 8.v From the middle ofspringxWastif wire W4 leads to one point 'of the star-wheel V, so that a change in the relative positionsy of the staifwheel and bevel-wheel U will throw spring W5 to one side or the other and thereby throw the blades over the deadfcenter and -break the circuit with a snap. This switch X2, like the one X2 shownin Fig. 4, has three stable positions closing the circuit in its middle position opening it in eitherv of its side positions, while itl is snapped from any one position to another. In the folding-door arrangement` of F iff. 5 I rovi'd-e a single' limit-V switch' N whichv is operated by the door at each end of its opening or its closing run. This switch has a sliding rod N3 with projections Na at either end which are alternately hit by the end of lever C4 at the end of its stroke.v On the end ofrod N3 are pivoted the spring-"connected blades N 4 and N5 which in the position'shown close the door-closing circuit r3() but at the Vend of the door-closing strokebreak thel said door-closing circuit and close the door-opening circuit 40, re-

versing this operation at the end of the door openingstroke. In Fig'. 2 there are two limit switches N1 and N2 operated respectively by the radial arm C in either its ldoor-closing or' its' door-opening position to break the cir# cuitwhichproduced the ended movement. A spring restores the switch to its circuit-closing position when the arm C starts away on its reverse stroke, the circuit thus closed at the limit switch being elsewhere broken by the operators control switch. To one arm of the star-wheel V I connect a rope Z which will extend through the car so that any passenger, by pulling the rope, can open the doors. In Fig. 7 is shown one form of circuit connection for enabling a single operator to control two or more doors from a single station. In this figure, 60 represents a switch drum on which are contact-plates 51 and 52, which, when the drum is turned in one direction, connect stationary point 31 with 32 and 33 with 34; while, when turned oppositely,

they connect 41 with 42 and 43 with 44. In the former case a circuit will be established from trolley T, R, through initiating switch 91, resistance 90, fuse 92, torsion-switch X, limit-switch N1, contact-points 31, 32, wire 45, field-magnet 70 of the motor, wire 46, contact-points 33, 34, wire 47, motor armature to ground. This will start the motor in a direction to close the door A and when the radial arm C reachesl the closed-door position it will operate limit-switch N1 and break the circuit aforesaid. IVhen the switch-drum is turned in the opposite direction, it will establisha similar circuit which will, however, pass through the field-magnet in the reverse direction and will also include limit-switch N2, instead of N1. The motor will then operate to open the door until radial arm C operates limit-switch N2 and the is; door is thereby stopped. The torsion-switch X, it will be observed, is included in both circuits and will be ready to operate on the door-opening as well as the door-closing run of the door. On the contrary, the opening and closing circuits have their individual limit-switch contacts. I have shown on the drum 60 a second set of contact-plates 51 and 52 which will, in like manner, control a second door motor. But while the switch-drum 60 will be common to both motors, each will have its own torsion-switch X and its own individual limit-switch contacts. The two motors will thus be under common control from a single point but will be independent as regards their torsion-switch and liinit-switch control.

Other modes of securing similar control may be employed. In Fig. 8 the operators control is by means of a switch-lever 54 with a blade 53 which in one position connects contacts 38, 39 for-say door opening-and in the opposite position contacts 48, 49 for door closing. If it connects 38, 39 it establishes a circuit from battery J to wire 105 which may serve for all the doors in a car or in an entire train. At each door is a magnet 100, which, being thus energized, breaks connection between points 131 and 132 and closes between points 141 and 142. That establishes a circuit from trolley T, R,

through points 141, 142, motor armature 80, points 131, 132 (of magnet 101), closed contacts of limit-switch N, motor-field magnet 70, torsion-switch X3 to ground. As before described, the motor will then operate the door in the closing direction till stopped by opening of limit-switch N. If switch 54 is turned oppositely to close the connection of points 43, 49, then a similar action will be started by magnets 101. In that case the circuit from the trolley will go through lower contacts 141, 142, motor armature 80, in the reverse direction, upper contacts 131, 132, limit-switch N, which will now have its opposite set of contacts closed, motor field-magnet 70, torsion-switch XS to ground. If desired, the local doors at the operators station may be operated by magnets 100 and 101 connected to special contact points 37 which will be engaged by a continued movement of switch-lever 54 after the other doors have been operated. That will beparticularly advantageous on the door-closing side, since the operator can leave his local doors open for purposes of observation until the other doors on the car or train are closed.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a car door, of an electric motor, a rotatable door operating shaft, a gear wheel mounted oni-said shaft, reducing gearing interposed between and operatively connecting said motor and said wheel, and a radially extended arm carried by an end of said shaft so as to rotate therewith, the free end of said arm having a slidable operating connection with said door.

. 2. The combination with a car door having a vertical slide thereon, of a door operating shaft positioned at right angles with respect to the plane of travel of said door, a radially extended arm carried by an end of said shaft adjacent to said plane of travel and having its free end connected with said slide, a gear wheel on said shaft back of said radially extended arm, an electric motor, 'and a reducing gearing connecting said motor and said gear wheel.

3. The combination with a horizontally, slideable door, of a horizontally mounted door operating shaft arranged with one end adjacent the plane of travel of said door, a radially extended arm carried by said end of the shaft and extending in a plane approximately parallel with said plane of travel, the free endlof said arm beingconnected with said door, aigear wheel on the other end of said shaft, an electric motor, and a reducing gearing connecting said motor and said gear wheel.

4. The combination with a car-door of an electric motor, an operating shaft driven thereby through reducing gearing, a radial arm normally connected with said shaft, but movable independently thereof, said arm CII having a sliding connection with the door., a limit-switch for disabling the motor at each end of the door mcvement, and a torsionswitch operated by rotation of said shaft relative to saidradial arm and controlling the motor circuit. Y

5. The combination with a car-door of an operating electric motor therefor and means for protecting passengers in the doorway, comprising a switch controlling 'the motor circuit and means operated. by the torsional stress of the motor for actuating said switch when the movement of the door is obstructed.

6. The combination with a car-door of a reversible electric motor, means actuated by said motor for operating the door, said means including limit-switch contacts in each of the motor circuits for different directions of rotation, and a torsional-switch in the main circuit of the motor.

7. The combination with a car-door of an electric motor therefor, a radial arm acting on the door through a slide, a reducing gear between the motor and shaft of said arm, a limit-switch and an independently controlled torsion-switch both arranged tc control the motor circuit during the closing movement of the door.

8. The combination with a car-door of a radial arm acting on the door through a slide, anelectric motor, a shaft for the said arm, a second shaft driven by the motor through speed-reducing gearing, yielding devices normally connecting the two shafts anda switch operated by relative movement of said de` vices and controlling the motor circuit.

9. The combination with a car-door and its operating shaft, of an electric motor, a second shaft driven by the motor, connecting devices between the two shafts yieldable in either direction and a switch controlling the motor circuit operated by said devices.

l0. The combination with a car-door of an electric motor capable of operating the door when energized and of being reversely operated by pressure on the door when cle-energized, and safety devices responding to obstruction of the door movement and acting to deenergize the motor and permit its reverse operation by the door.

11. The combination with a car door of an operating electric motor permanently geared thereto and capable of being reversely operated by movement of the door in the reverse direction when de-energized, a limitswitch for deenergizing the motor at the end of the door-closing movement, and means whereby the door may be operated manually.

12. The combination with a rectilinearly movable car-door of an operating electric motor therefor, a switch for closing the motor circuit for either direction of door-movement and limiten/itch contacts in each of the reversing circuits of the motor, said contacts being operated by the respective door movements at the end thereof.

13. The combination with a car-door, of an operating electric motor for the door, a. motor circuit, means actuated by said motor for operating the door, said means including a torsion-switch operated by the motor in the event of the door being obstructed and located in the motor circuit between the motor and the ground.v

14. The combinationwith a car-door, of an electric motor, a spring between the motor and the door for reversing the motor when the latter is disabled and the door obstructed, anda controlling device for the motor normally inactive but acting to disable the motor on the yielding of said spring and to restore it when the spring is restored.

15. The combination with a car-door of an operating electric motor therefor, a spring interposed between the motor and the door, said spring being` normally unyielding but acting when under tension to mechanically reverse the motor if the latter is deenergized, and a switch for breaking the motor circuit on the yielding of the spring.

Signed at Albany, county of Albany, and State of New York, this 8th day of March,

L. P. HYNES. 

